As for the greatest pillar of īmān according to the Rāfiḍah? It is īmān in the Imamate, i.e., the Imamate of ʿAlī, then the Imāms after him. Al-Kulaynī narrated in ‘al-Kāfī, the Book of al-Īmān and al-Kufr’, Chapter: The Pillars of al-Islām, on the Authority of Jaʿfar (upon him be peace) That He Said: “Al-Islām Was Built upon Five: the Prayer, the Zakāh, the Fast, the Ḥajj and the Wilāyah (the leadership of ʿAlī and his decendants). We were not commanded with anything the way we are commanded with the wilāyah; for the people have taken four and have left the wilāyah.”

The Pillars of Īmān according to Ahl al-Sunnah

The foundation of al-Īmān according to us is al-Īmān in Allāh, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and in the Qadr, it’s good and it’s bad; as is in His, the Exalted, statement:

“The Messenger (Muḥammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord and likewise do the believers. Each of them believes in Allāh, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers…”
[Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2:285]

And as He, the Exalted, has said:

“However al-Birr (righteousness) is the one  who believes in Allāh, the Last Day, the Angels , the Book and the Prophets…”
[Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2:177]

He, the Exalted, has said concerning al-Qadr:

“And that Allāh encompasses all things by His Knowledge.”
[Sūrah al-Ṭalāq, 65:12]

And He has said:

“And we have not left anything out of the Book.”
[Sūrah al-Anʿām, 6:38]

And He, the Exalted, has said:

“And you cannot will except that Allāh wills.”
[Sūrah al-Insān, 76:30]

He, the Exalted, has said:

“Verily We have created all things with Qadr.”
[Sūrah al-Qamar, 54:49]

And He said:

“And Allāh has created you and what you make.”
[Sūrah al-Ṣaffāt, 37:96]

When a person utters the two testimonies then he has entered into al-Islām and safeguarded by this statement; his blood, wealth and honor. Thereafter, he is commanded with that which this statement necessitates from its rights. So whoever actualizes this īmān then he is from the people of al-Jannah.

The Pillars of Īmān according to Rāfidah

As for the greatest pillar of īmān according to the Rāfiḍah, it is īmān in the Imāmate; i.e. The Imāmate of ʿAlī then the Imāms after him. Al-Kulaynee narrated in al-Kaafī, the Book of al-Īmān and al-Kufr, Chapter: The Pillars of al-Islām, on the authority of Ja’far, upon him be peace, that he said: “al-Islām was built upon five: Upon the prayer, the Zakāh, the fast, the ḥajj and the wilāyah (the leadership of ʿAlī and his descendants). We were not commanded with anything the way we are commanded with the wilāyah; for the people have taken four and have left the wilāyah.” [al-Kāfī 2/28]

He also narrated on the authority of Abū ‘ʿAbdillāh, upon him be peace, that he explained the limits of al-īmān, and said: “The testimony that none has the right to be worshipped but Allāh and that Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allāh, confirming that with which he has brought from Allāh, the five prayers, the payment of az-Zakāh, fasting in the month of Ramaḍān, pilgrimage to the house, the wilāyah of our walī (ʿAlī) and enmity with our enemy, and to be from the truthful ones.” [al-Kāfī 2/18]
Zuraarah said: “I said: ‘Which of those things is best?’ So he (Abū ‘Abdillāh) said: ‘The wilāyah is best, because it is their key, and the walī is the proof for them.’ I said: ‘Then which is that which follows it in virtue?’ He said: ‘The prayer.’” [al-Kāfī 2/18-19]

The Takfīr of the Rāfidah Upon Most of the Companions of Muḥammad (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam)

Muḥammad Jawaad Mugniyah said: “We have settled upon the fact that at-Tashayyu’ is īmān in the existence of the text from the Prophet concerning ʿAlī…”[al-Shīʿah wa-al-Ḥākimūn pg. 12] This narration makes clear their beliefs regarding their takfīr of most of the Companions. And it is that, as they suppose, they (the Companions) did not have allegiance to ʿAlī in the Khilāfah. Rather, they denied his right and gave Abū Bakr precedence over him, then ʿUmar then ʿUthmān, may Allāh be please with them all.

Translated by: Raha ʿAzīzudīn Batts